- Contact the Committee

October 17, 2003

Mr. Arthur K. Wu
Staff Director
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
House Veterans’ Affairs Committee
337A Cannon Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Mr. Wu:

This letter is in response to a series of questions submitted by Chairman Buyer to American Nurses Association’s President Barbara Blakeney.

1. In the Health and Safety section of your testimony, you state that 83% of the nurse respondents continue to work despite experiencing back pain. What is being done to address safe patient handling and prevention of these musculosketal problems? What other initiatives are being utilized to address unsafe patient lifting?


ANA recently launched a “Handle with Care” ergonomics campaign aimed at promoting safe patient handling and preventing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among nurses. The campaign will involve collaboration with ANA-related groups, other nursing and specialty organizations, the research and academic community and health care systems in a united effort to prevent back and other musculoskeletal injuries through greater education and training, and increased use of assistive equipment and patient-handling devices. The campaign also seeks to reshape nursing education and federal and state ergonomics policy by highlighting the ways in which technology-oriented, safe-patient-handling techniques benefit patients and the nursing workforce. A folder with additional information on this initiative is attached for your further review.

2) In your testimony you stated that ANA represents the nation’s 2.7 million registered nurses through its 54 constituent member associations. How many registered nurses are there in the United States?

According to the March 2000 findings from the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are approximately 2.7 million registered nurses in the United States.

3. The National Commission on VA Nursing was established through P.L. 107-35 to address the current and future nursing shortages at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The Commission has indicated that the final report is due in May 2004. In ANA’s opinion, what should the top three recommendations for legislative and organizational policy changes be to enhance recruitment and retention in the VA?

The first recommendation that the ANA supports is continued support of the National Nursing Education Initiative (NNEI). Established in January 2000, the NNEI ensures that the VA workforce can meet the challenges of an intense, complex and changing work environment. The NNEI program awards tuition support to nurses to obtain baccalaureate or post-graduate degrees and training.

Second, the VA should continue to support the Nurse Qualifications Standards, established in 1999. The Nurse Qualification Standards are focused on both the standard of care provided by nurses as well as the level of education.

Finally, the VA should actively encourage its facilities to attain Magnet Recognition Status. The Magnet recognition Program for Excellence in Nursing Services was developed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in 1994 to recognize facilities that provide the very best in nursing care and uphold the tradition within nursing that supports professional nursing practice. Magnet facilities have better patient outcomes and higher rates of nurse retention than non-magnet facilities.

Once again, thank you for allowing the American Nurses Association to comment on the issues facing nurses in the VA healthcare system. If you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at (202) 651-7088 or rgonzale@ana.org

Sincerely,

Rose Gonzalez, MPS, RN
Director, Government Affairs